(Eagle News) — The National Economic Development Authority Board has given the go-signal for the government to proceed with Phase 1 of the Mindanao Railway Project.
The NEDA Board gave its approval for the Tagum-Davao-Digos segment in a meeting on Friday, Nov. 29.
Earlier, the NEDA Investment Coordination Committee – Cabinet Committee also gave its approval for the project.
Under phase 1, a 74-kilometer at-grade and 26-km elevated (viaduct) commuter railway will be constructed from Tagum City in Davao del Norte to Digos City in Davao del Sur.
Eight stations located in Tagum, Carmen, Panabo, Mudiang, Davao, Toril, Sta. Cruz, and Digos will also be constructed.
Once completed, the phase 1 project will accommodate around 130,000 passengers per day in its first year of full operations.
Travel time between Tagum City to Digos City is expected to be reduced from 3.5 hours to 1.3 hours.
Partial operations of the Tagum-Davao line are forecast by the second quarter of 2022 .
The full Tagum-Davao-Digos line, on the other hand, is slated to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Under the Mindanao Railway Project, an 830-kilometer MRP Loop will be constructed.
